Rs 20k-cr fisheries projects get nod

Blue Revolution

♦ Implementing agencies include States, UTs

♦ PMMSY projects include 29,964 hectares of pond area for inland aquaculture

♦ 1,489 bivalve cultivation units

♦ 720 artificial reef units, 6 integrated aquaparks

New Delhi: The central government has approved fisheries developmental project proposals worth Rs19,670.56 crore in five financial years (2020-21 to 2023-24 and the current fiscal). Of this amount, the Centre’s share is Rs8,666.28 crore.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying accorded these approvals under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The implementing agencies include State governments, union territories, and others, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

The PMMSY projects include a wide gamut of activities including 29,964 hectares of pond area for inland aquaculture, 1,489 bivalve cultivation units, 720 artificial reef units, six integrated aquaparks including a seaweed park, 54 fishing harbours and fish landing centres, 586 cold storages, 18 wholesale fish markets, 193 fish retail markets, 6,581 fish kiosks, 108 value added enterprise units, and 26,188 post harvest transportation units.

There are also 4013 biofloc units. A biofloc is the suspended growth in ponds/tanks, which is the aggregate of living and dead particulate organic matter, phytoplankton, bacteria, and grazers of the bacteria, according to the website of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

There are also 11,995 units of Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS). The RAS, the website says, is a technology where water is recycled and reused after mechanical and biological filtration and removal of suspended matter and metabolites. This method is used for high-density culture of various species of fish, utilizing minimum land area and water.

The PMMSY intends to address critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure and management, modernization and strengthening of value chain, traceability, establishing a robust fisheries management framework, and fishers’ welfare.

It was approved at a total estimated investment of Rs20,050 crore to be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25.

The PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with two separate components - Central Sector Scheme (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). While the CSs are entirely funded by the Centre, the CSSs have contributions from States as well.